The story covers the growth from childhood to womanhood of Barbara, the daughter of Happy's employer, "Cast Steel" Judson of the Diamond Dot ranch, and swings round from Wyoming to Texas, Nevada, California, Montana and back again. It easily establishes the author's reputation as a great story-teller, and as a fun-maker who is to be reckoned with as one of the most distinguished of American humorists.

eeks I got quite powerful hungry, so I natchely got a job waitin' on a lunch counter back in Omaha. The third day I was there I was all alone in the front room when in walked an Injun. He was about eight feet high, I reckon; and the fiercest Injun I ever see. I took one look at him a' then I dropped behind the counter and wiggled back to the kitchen where the boss was. I gasped out that the Injuns was upon us an' then I flew for my firearms.

When the boss discovered that the Injun and fourteen doughnuts, almost new, had vanished, he was some put out, and after we had discussed the matter, I acted on his advice and came farther West. That business experience lasted me a good long while. I don't like business an' I don't blame any one who has to follow it for a livin' for wantin' to have a vacation so he can get out where the air is fit to breathe.

Just imagine bein' hived up day after day with nothin' to see but walls an' nothin' to do but customers. You first got to be friendly with your visitor